Martha Washington

Martha Washington

Martha Washington
Reading Level

	edHelper's suggested reading level:	grades 4 to 6
	Flesch-Kincaid grade level:	6.6

Vocabulary

	challenging words:		gentry, widow, politics, beloved, commander, greatly, wounded, responsibility, tended, eldest, death, become, traveled, beginning, supplies, manager
	content words:		Martha Dandridge, Daniel Parke Custis, Martha Dandridge Custis, George Washington, Mount Vernon, Indian War, First Continental Congress, Second Continental Congress, Continental Army, Revolutionary War

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Martha Washington
By Jane Runyon

¹ Martha Dandridge never dreamed she would become the first lady of a brand new country. Her father came to the colonies from England long before she was born. Martha was the eldest of eight Dandridge children. When she turned nineteen, she married a much older plantation manager named Daniel Parke Custis. Martha was quite happy to be this man's wife and raise their four children. Life doesn't always turn out the way you think it will, however. The happy couple had been married seven years when Mr. Custis suddenly died. Two of her children died within a short period. How was a young widow with two small children going to survive?

² Martha was very fortunate to meet a slightly younger plantation owner. Two years after her husband's death, Martha Dandridge Custis married George Washington. They moved to his plantation, Mount Vernon. There they set about making a home for themselves and her two remaining children. George and Martha enjoyed the life of country gentry. George had already become involved in local politics. He had served in the British army during the French and Indian War. Now he wanted to farm and keep active in the politics of the colonies. George was selected for the First Continental Congress and then elected to the Second Continental Congress. Martha was right there supporting him. He was selected to be the commander of the Continental Army before the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Martha was with him.

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